Fatty acid profiles in smokers with chronic periodontitis

We hypothesized that tobacco smoke induces alterations to the 3-oh fatty acids present in lipid a in a manner consistent with a microflora of reduced inflammatory potential. whole saliva samples and full-mouth clinical periodontal recordings were obtained from persons with (22 smokers; 15 non-smokers) and without (14 smokers; 15 non-smokers) chronic periodontitis. clear differences in the contributions of multiple saturated 3-oh fatty acid species were noted in the group with disease compared with healthy individuals. increases in the long-chain fatty acids associated with anaerobic bacterial periodontopathogens,particularly 3-ohci17.0 (146.7%,relative to controls),were apparent. significant reductions in the 3-oh fatty acids associated with the consensus (high potency) enteric lps structure (3-oh-c12.0 and 3-oh-c14.0; 33.3% and 15.8% reduction,respectively) were noted in smokers compared with non-smokers with chronic periodontitis. thus,smoking is associated with specific structural alterations to the lipid-a-derived 3-oh fatty acid profile in saliva that are consistent with an oral microflora of reduced inflammatory potential. these findings provide much-needed mechanistic insight into the established clinical conundrum of increased infection with periodontal pathogens but reduced clinical inflammation in smokers. © 2011 international & american associations for dental research.